What if plastic was precious?
What if plastic was precious?
How we live with plastic + good things to watch, read, cook and ponder.
Hello friend, how are you on this wintry day? We figured it was time we caught up!
We’ve talked about plastic lots through the years. We devoted a page or two of our book to it, and even more to how to avoid it altogether (that’s really more our thing). We even encouraged you to participate in plastic-free July last month. But something we’ve not talked about much is how we use plastic in our daily lives. We encounter it everywhere, of course. All of us do - it’s in our water, soil and blood now, so there’s that. You see, it’s just so bloody useful, and there are some applications for it that humans haven’t replicated well with other materials yet (although we’re getting closer). Plastic is sometimes the best option we have, especially when it comes to healthcare and accessibility, and how we use it well is going to look different for everyone.
For plastic to come into our home, it generally must be reusable, useful and inevitably recyclable. Our family’s most common encounters with plastic in daily life would be:
Technology - We’re typing this on a plastic keyboard, right now. Preferably, the technology we buy has come to us second-hand, maintained for as long as possible, and is eventually recycled/down-cycled. We’re also opening a record store, selling music on plastic records and cassettes, which we see as an heirloom investment. Those records are for life. Spending days caring for and cataloguing them has been interesting, conflicting and heartening all at once.
Medication - ugh, peri-menopausal migraines have made supplements and pain medication, in plastic containers, our friend. There’s much room for industry improvement here, through re-use initiatives and using better materials. In the meantime, containers in our home are re-used (they’re great for seed storage).
Food storage and preparation - we carry plastic (and some mixed plastic and glass) containers to the butcher. We’re increasingly needing to use tools in the kitchen which have ergonomic plastic grips because Lauren has a tremor and there isn’t a better or safer option yet. All these tools and containers are re-used for years. After we feel they’ve worked with food for as long as is safe, they find use in the garden or around the house.
Some of the plastic items we use daily are unavoidable. Some we choose consciously. An important factor though, is how we use and look after plastic items. We’re treating them as if they’re finite and precious, because they are.
This is in vast difference to how the plastics industry, and society in general, manufactures and uses plastic. Here are some sobering stats:
The average Australian creates around 130kg of plastic waste each year. By comparison, the global average is 45kg. In India, that figure is 4kg of plastic waste per person. Plastic use is growing alongside the world’s growing middle classes. It’s an issue of privilege.
47% of all plastic waste generated (and the largest portion in general) is generated by households and individuals.
Only around 16% of plastic waste is recycled, but the Australian Government claims to be aiming for 70% recycled plastic waste and the phasing out of single use plastics in just two-and-a-half years. As yet, there’s no indication those targets will be met.
We could go on, but overwhelming statistics about how we’re drowning in plastic aren’t our favourite way to get motivated. We will say though, that the pandemic has seen the plastics industry thrive in ways even it didn’t expect to. It was looking a bit grim for plastics after a downturn in use, due to sustainability awareness in 2018-19, before everything changed. Now, industry-heads are gleefully (and quite unashamedly), celebrating and planning for infinite growth, creating mountains of single-use plastics as if they’re not made from a finite source. What we’re re-iterating here is that plastic is a finite and precious resource, and we should all treat it as such.
Buy less, choose well, make it last - Vivienne Westwood.
There are many reasons why plastic is both a blessing and an absolute curse for this planet and the people on it. It’s just possible it’s society’s throwaway approach to plastic that’s the major culprit here, rather than the material itself. If we’re going to live with plastic, let’s aim to use it well, while innovating for better materials that cause less harm. Yes, let’s legislate for it’s proper use and management, but also, let’s choose to use it less. Let’s treat it as if it’s valuable and precious and like every little piece we use matters. Let’s treat it as if it’s in our lives forever - because it is.
Good things lately
Watching - Wildwitch on SBS On Demand (subtitles) or Tubi (English overdub). An enjoyable Danish film about witches and nature connection, with a gorgeous, cosy, animal-filled home. Our kiddos really enjoyed it.
Reading - Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. Haven’t actually started yet because we’ve been distracted - haha! It’s on the top of the pile, so will report back imminently. It focuses on some of the reasons why we’re reverting to longer-form content consumption rather than snackable content. Which means records over TikToks, in our house.
Listening - No time for podcasts this month, while we work towards opening our physical shop later this month, but our days lately are filled with Joni, Dolly, Lizzo and Olivia. The kids are still loving Kate Bush, and Hounds of Love is on the turntable regularly, thanks to Stranger Things.
Harvesing - pak choi, lettuces, kale, chard, broad bean, pea and nasturtium leaves, rocket… ‘tis the season of all things green! There’s still a passionfruit or two on the vine.
Growing - tomato seeds are all that matters to us right now. Alright, some lettuce seedlings, too. They’re in a sunny spot in the lounge room.
Making - Pumpkin gnocchi. All those pumpkins we grew last summer need to be eaten and while we’re not a house of pumpkin lovers, we are a house of pasta lovers, so this recipe is well loved. This recipe is pretty easy, simple and yum. We almost double it and invite a friend over to share and serve it with salad and napoletana sauce or sage and browned-butter.
Baking - The Nanna. Browned butter, rhubarb from the garden, custard, cake. Drizzled with icing and covered in flowers and petals. We made it for Xanthe’s birthday and it was perfect. We didn’t have rosewater, so we made do with citrus in the icing, which was also delicious.
Resting - not lots, but where we need to. We didn’t send out a climate solution letter here this week, but shall return to regular programming on the weekend!
And a shameless plug for our new adventure…
The Suffragette Records online store is open now, filled with musical treasures, old and new. The page that features our story over here explains more about why and how we’re doing this, but this new direction feels right and timely and we’re following our hearts and hoping for the best. We’ve been busily repairing, cleaning and finding forever homes for some wonderful music, and that feels really good.
And also…
If you’re reading this from the US or northern hemisphere, it’s come to our attention (thanks Google alert), that our book ‘A Family Guide to Waste-Free Living’ is currently in Target, Book Depository and other online places near you. Finally! If you’ve been keen to buy a copy these past few years, now is a great time to grab it!
Have a wonderful rest of your week! We’ll be back on the weekend with the next climate solution.
Much love,
Lauren & Oberon.